Relativity: Can a Spaceship Become a Black Hole?

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of a spaceship accelerating to extremely high speeds and becoming a black hole due to the increase in its mass. However, it is explained that this is a common misunderstanding of relativity and the concept of "relativistic mass" has largely been discarded by scientists. The spaceship would not become a black hole as it would still appear the same to travelers inside. The conversation ends with appreciation for the helpful explanations from the participants.
  • #1
Zack Davis
11
0
Let's imagine say, a spaceship is going through space at 99% the speed of light. Relativity says (to my understanding) that as the spaceship increases in speed it's mass will increase and it shall also get slightly shorter. Let's assume that energy isn't a problem, should the spaceship continue accelerating and gets up to speeds extremely close to the speed of light, could it theoretically become massive enough and compact enough to have gravity take over and turn that spaceship into a black hole? Thank you!
 
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  • #2
Hi Zack,

The short answer is no. Here is a more detailed explanation:

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/BlackHoles/black_fast.html

Note also, the idea of a particle increasing in mass as it gets faster is called "relativistic mass". Although it still appears in the popular science literature and in some poor-quality textbooks, it is a concept that has largely been discarded by professional scientists. Generally, the term "mass" refers to what is known as the "invariant mass".

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/what-is-relativistic-mass-and-why-is-it-not-used-much.783220/
 
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  • #3
Hi that's a common misunderstanding of relativity and black holes.

For a traveler inside the spaceship, the spaceship is just the same as it was at take-off (that's what relativity is about!).
Thus, the black hole theory applies to the mass as measured with such a co-moving reference system.
 
  • #4
Okay. I think I'm beginning to comprehend why the answer would be no. Thank you all! People like you guys are why this site is so fantastic!
 
  • #5
You are welcome, glad we could help.
 

1. How does relativity explain the possibility of a spaceship becoming a black hole?

According to the theory of relativity, gravity is the result of the curvature of spacetime caused by massive objects. As a spaceship approaches the speed of light, its mass increases and its length contracts, which causes a greater curvature in spacetime. At a certain point, this curvature may become so intense that it traps all light and matter within it, creating a black hole.

2. What conditions must be met for a spaceship to become a black hole?

In order for a spaceship to become a black hole, it must be traveling at extremely high speeds, close to the speed of light. It must also have a very high mass, as the gravitational pull of the object is what creates the intense curvature in spacetime.

3. Is it possible for a spaceship to travel at the speed of light?

According to the theory of relativity, it is not possible for any object with mass to reach the speed of light. As an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases infinitely, making it impossible to accelerate any further.

4. What would happen to the passengers on a spaceship that turns into a black hole?

If a spaceship were to become a black hole, the passengers on board would experience extreme gravitational forces, which would likely result in their deaths. As the spaceship approaches the speed of light, the passengers would also experience time dilation, meaning that time would pass slower for them compared to those outside the black hole.

5. Can a spaceship turn into a black hole in our solar system?

No, it is highly unlikely that a spaceship could turn into a black hole in our solar system. In order for this to happen, the spaceship would need to have an incredibly high mass and velocity, which is not possible in our current technology. Additionally, the mass of our solar system is not great enough to create the intense curvature in spacetime necessary for a black hole to form.

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